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“Wolfy’s acting up again.”
Sirius was equal parts annoyed and concerned. He glanced at the entrance of the Great Hall once more before turning to his fellow Marauder. Peter munched on toast and eyed Sirius’ neck.
“What’s he doing?”
Peter licked butter off his fingers. “Pacin’ an’ goin’ like this.” He curled his lip up and bared his teeth.
James slipped into the empty space between the two Gryffindors. Sirius perked up and promptly deflated when he realized James wasn’t accompanied by a certain curly-haired, jumper-wearing boy.
Wolfy disappeared under Sirius’ robe and reappeared on his arm, snapping his jaws at the dark hand reaching for Sirius’ pumpkin juice.
James yelped and snatched his hand back.
“Aw,” Sirius cooed. “Is Jamesy Wamesy scared of a little tattoo?”
Wolfy turned his back, tail puffed, in response to being belittled as such.
“Fuck off,” James replied and grabbed Peter’s juice, taking large gulps. “What’s got your knickers in a twist?”
“Wolfy’s not upset because of me.”
James raised his eyebrows at Sirius’ petulance and turned to Peter. “Why’s he so pissy?”
Peter shrugged.
“You should be asking my soulmate,” Sirius grumbled, “not me.”
“But we don’t know who that is.”
Sirius groaned and smacked his forehead on the table, refusing to lift it back up. A strong hand clapped his shoulders.
“We’re just messing with you, Pads. Cheer up. Hey, does anyone know where Moony is?”
———
Wolfy was a wolf (shocker) about the size of a thumb — his name cleverly dubbed by James and Peter in first year.
Remus always called him “your wolf”, which sent warm tingles down Sirius’ spine. (Sirius would very much like to call Remus his wolf but that was neither here nor there. No, really. Totally not of importance at all. Sirius meant it in a the most platonic way possible, okay? So shut the hell up McKinnon.)
A scraggly frame dressed in a fur coat of intricate black swirls and big, round eyes, Wolfy appeared both regal and wild, thrilling and scary all at once. He never stayed in one place for a long amount of time — unless he was napping, which he liked to do on Sirius’ chest when he was happy and on Sirius’ forehead when he annoyed — but he trotted at a slow and leisurely pace. Ever the epitome of smug grace. Sirius liked Wolfy best when he ran, looking like black smoke dancing in the wind.
Wolfy was his very first friend and helped him through childhood. When punishment came to locked rooms and little food, Wolfy entertained little Sirius by doing flips and playing hide and seek. Sirius would close his eyes, count to ten, and then try to find what body part the little wolf was hiding.
When punishment came to blows and curses, Wolfy licked the wounded areas. It didn’t have any effect—Wolfy was just a Tattoo and had no healing powers—but Sirius imagined the warm tingle it caused in his heart was what a real mother kissing a boo-boo all better felt like.
His parents detested Wolfy and hated that Sirius was one of the Tattooers. They believed the canine represented his soulmate being unladylike and untamed. And more importantly, Sirius being a Tattooer foiled all plans for an arranged marriage. Unless they found a Pureblood with a Tattoo that connected to Sirius’, society would shame their marriage.
They tried to change Wolfy, wipe him away, but the wolf was one stubborn motherfucker. The Tattoo showed them his arse on more than one occasion, including at dinner parties. It got Sirius in a fair amount of trouble but it was worth it. There was no messing with soulmate marks. Sirius still had the Incendio burn mark on his left shoulder from when his mother tried to turn Wolfy to ash to prove it.
It was a powerful magic no had come close to understanding.
This was why they always favored Regulus, who was a Kisser. A Kisser recognized their soulmate the second they touched, feeling an electric zap. The name came from people doubting the Zap and requiring a kiss, anywhere on the body, for reassurance, as it would produce a powerful lightning-struck feeling.
Dear old Walburga and Orion could ship Regulus off to whatever Pureblood relative pleased them and have him fake the Zap, just like they had.
Wolfy was the best Tattoo Sirius could have asked for. He liked to moan that Wolfy was annoying, but if anybody so much as looked at his Tattoo in a weird way, his wand was out and jinx ready to roll off his tongue.
Now, if only he could get a certain old grandpa who wore atrocious jumpers to see that too.
———
“Marleeennne,” Sirius whined, loudly dropping into the chair beside her.
A group of Hufflepuffs made a strange hissing-like sound at the table near them and he lazily flipped them off. He was going to be as goddamn dramatic as he wanted to be.
If he was suffering then so should everyone else.
“Sirius Bitching Black, in the library? Do my eyes deceive me?” Marlene asked herself, tapping her chin.
“Marlene, it’s rude to mock a man in pain.” Sirius sniffed at her smirk. “And I am in pain.”
The dark-haired Ravenclaw sighed in exaggerated exasperation. She rested her hand in her palm and her pale eyes roamed his face.
“Let me guess, this has to do with—”
“Remus!”
“Lupin,” she finished dryly, a millisecond behind him.
Sirius pouted. “He’s been avoiding me.”
Marlene rolled her eyes. “News flash: not everything’s about you, Black. Maybe he’s not feeling well.”
Sirius jut his lower lip out farther. Marlene sighed.
“I’m so glad I don’t have to go through this romantic bullshit. It’s pathetic.”
Marlene was a Namer, her soulmate’s name was inked over her heart from birth. Anytime someone made a remark that the two of them should be soulmates, she proudly pulled her shirt down to show Marlene written in her loopy handwriting on the left side of her chest.
Sirius also made a point to say he was very, very, very gay. Followed by his fabulous jazz hands or smooth finger guns.
Marlene flicked his nose, bring him back out of his brain. He swatted her hand away.
“Just tell him you’re in love with him and kiss him, or whatever you gross romantics do.”
As if was that easy. He wanted to be Moony’s soulmate like a Niffler wanted shiny things. Sirius would love to hide Moony in his hypothetical Niffler pouch and keep him forever. He’d be a good soulmate too, leaving lots of chocolate frogs and heated blankets in there for him.
Sirius picked at the gold nail polish on his fingers, his shoulders slumping. “You know we’re not like that. Because of,” he dropped his voice, “Moony.”
Marlene had figured out Remus’ condition ages ago and promised to never tell. Thank bloody Merlin, because otherwise Sirius would have no one to go wailing to about the unfairness of it all.
Marlene knocked her foot against his, shocking him out of his thoughts again, her expression much softer and she even used his first name. “Sirius, the Tattoo is a goddamn fucking wolf. The only way it could be more obvious is if Remus was dropped in your lap by the heavens or whatever.”
Now that was a wonderful idea.
Marlene smacked him, knowing his train of thought. “Now go find that scrawny boy and put me out of my misery. You’re spacing out every ten seconds and if I have to watch your Tattoo gnash its teeth at me one more time I’m going to flip this fucking table.”
———
Sirius considered asking Evans to help him put on eyeliner but she glowered at him as soon as he entered the common room. He was used to being on the receiving end of her angry face but she usually reserved these looks of contempt for James.
Not caring, his eyes searched the area around her but, once again, Moony was absent. The dark part of his brain whispered that he had done something wrong, that Remus hated him. Lily was his best friend after all and she always got angry on his behalf.
Sirius gritted his teeth and imagined burning those insecurities to ashes. Evans was probably just mad that he stole her gold nail polish.
He smiled sweetly and flipped his hair, walking to the dormitory with graceful strides. The last Sirius saw Remus for more than a few minutes was during the day before. His gorgeous self had been talking to some blonde girl Sirius didn’t recognize, his face completely blank other than a small, pained frown.
Wolfy punctuated Sirius’ thoughts by raising his hackles and then slumping into a pathetic heap of limbs. Same, Sirius thought.
Sirius moved into action, kicking Peter out of the bathroom. He stared critically in the mirror.
Glossy hair, relatively smooth skin, smoldering grey eyes, and excellent bone structure, if he said so himself.
And he did.
He was an elegant but roguish handsome—there was no denying that.
But. But, but, but. If was going to test the waters with Moonykins tonight, he had to step up his already fantastic game.
Wolfy ran in excited circles.
———
Sirius ended up skipping dinner.
He did his eyeliner five times—first, it was too thick, then it was sloppy, then the wings were too far out, then they were uneven, then they looked great but he second-guessed if he even wanted winged eyeliner.
In the end, he went for thin, noticeable but not too noticeable, and no wings. With a swipe of mascara, his eyes were positively piercing.
His outfit change was easier. Euphemia had taken him shopping during the summer to cheer him up after Regulus sent back Sirius’ letter unopened. Euphemia had whistled when he came out of the dressing room in the slim, form-fitting navy robes.
Then came his hair. Resorting to Wolfy’s opinion—piss off, it was actually a good idea, okay—turned out to be a nit-picky process. The wolf turned his back, bristled, and occasionally snarled at certain styles. In an act of frustration, Sirius pulled his hair up into a messy bun, the lower sections of his hair falling out.
Wolfy’s mouth opened in a yip and even though it made no sound, Sirius thought it was a happy kind.
Checking out his reflection, Sirius gave an appraising look. “Remus, you have great taste.”
Wolfy ran in circles at the mention of Moony and Sirius took it as a sign, pixies fluttering in his stomach.
He took a deep breath. You can do this, Black. It’s just Moony.
Just Moony? The love of his life, moon to his stars, hottie with a brain and snarky personality, adorable bundle of all good things in the world?
Sirius wondered if Madam Pomfrey had a potion for courage.
———
“Hot date tonight, Black?” Frank called out as Sirius descended down the stairs.
James’ head swiveled, furrowing his eyebrows. He was sitting next to the fire with Pete.
“You didn’t say anything about a date! Oh, fuck,” James yelped as a card exploded next to his hand.
Peter had the brains to not divert his attention from the ongoing game of Exploding Snap. Without raising his head he said, “I thought you were ‘saving yourself’ for the mysterious soulmate?”
“I’m not going on a date.” Sirius rolled his eyes. “Have you seen—”
“Liar.” James quickly grabbed the matching pair of cards before gazing accusingly at Sirius. “Why’d you spend all the time getting ready in the bathroom for? An evening with your potions essay?”
Caradoc walked over and threw himself on the nearest couch. “What’s this? Talking about what Sirius gets up to in the bathroom?”
Wolfy had disappeared somewhere under Sirius’ robes, most likely in annoyance, which Sirius much agreed with. Nobody knew the G in Gryffindor actually stood for big fat Gossips.
“No,” he started, only to be interrupted by Frank calling from across the room.
“Sirius has a date!”
Caradoc raised an eyebrow. “A date?”
Peter, who had forfeited from Exploding Snap, piped up, “And he didn’t tell us!”
“The dressed up git thought he could get away with it, too,” James added.
“I’m not dressed up!”
“Mate, you’re wearing makeup again.”
“Who’s wearing makeup?” A girl in the year below asked, entering the portrait hole.
“Sirius,” the common room chorused.
Frank, again, said, “He’s got a date with his soulmate!”
“I do not have a—”
“I thought Sirius didn’t have a soulmate.”
“So did we!”
“Well, who is it?”
“We don’t know, he’s being very hush hush about it.”
There was a short confused silence after some Muggleborn said, “The lady doth protest too much, methinks.”
James and Peter snickered at lady.
Sirius shot them a dark look. “I’m not going on a date!”
Various Gryffindors stared at him patronizingly. Evans’ face was blooming an alarming red.
James appeared to be enjoying the shit show and was splayed on the couch with Caradoc now. He pointed at Sirius’ forehead with a cheeky grin.
“Why’s Wolfy so upset then?”
“Oooh, your soulmate is upset that you’re late for your date!”
Sirius groaned. “This isn’t about my soulmate! I don’t have a date!”
It fell on deaf ears.
“But Wolfy’s your Tattoo, right?” Peter asked.
“Duh, you—”
“And isn’t a Tattoo supposed to reflect your soulmate’s feelings?” James pressed.
Sirius narrowed his eyes at the two Marauders. “Yes,” he drawled.
Peter, sitting on the ground with his back to the couch, leaned forehead on his knees. “Wolfy’s been upset all day.”
Everyone turned to James, expectant.
“And now you’re all dolled up—”
“—as if you’re ready to swoop someone their feet—”
“—to cheer them up!”
“Oh, piss off you nosey bastards,” Sirius hissed. “Think you’re rather brilliant, don’t you?”
James smiled sweetly. “Oh, Wolfy,” he sang. “Are you going on a hot date?”
Sirius sent silent prayers to Wolfy to be cool for once in their life. The common room held a collective breath of anticipation and after a beat of silence they cheered. Sirius scowled, not even wanting to know what Wolfy did to betray him.
A dozen voices shouted questions and jeered at him, pushing Sirius’ nonexistent patience to the brink. He jumped up on a table.
“ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT! I’M GOING TO SEE MY SOULMATE, YOU BLOODY TOSSERS. HAPPY?”
At that exact moment, Sirius locked gazes with wide amber eyes. His mouth dried as Remus stood, one leg in through the portrait hole.
Sirius never was good with emotions or interpreting body language correctly but he’d tentatively bet his arm that Remus looked flushed at his appearance, his eyes drinking Sirius in. In the next half-second, though, his face twitched into something else entirely.
Sirius suddenly felt very aware of how he was still standing on the table, arms thrown up, mouth still hanging open from his declaration.
Motherfucking shit. How much of it had Remus heard?
“Remus!” Peter shouted, oblivious. “Did you know Sirius found his soulmate?”
Remus’ lips drew in tightly. “I did, actually.” His eyes flickered up and down Sirius, before staring at him steely. “I see you wasted no time.”
The Fat Lady cut in before Sirius could ask what that even meant. “Are you going in or what?”
Remus ducked his head and stepped his one foot inside the common room backward. He turned his back and briskly walked away.
“Nice one, Black,” Lily snapped before running out after Remus.
———
Sirius searched the castle up and down to no avail. He’d have used the Map but Peter had misplaced it the week before.
“Damn you, Wormy,” Sirius grumbled under his breath, turning on his heel to make his way back to the library.
“Sirius? Sirius Black?”
“What,” Sirius snapped at the blonde girl hovering a few feet ahead of him.
She flinched and Remus’ scolding voice echoed in his head. His chest squeezed.
He made a step to move around the girl but stopped abruptly. He blinked, recognizing her.
“You were talking to Moo-, er, Remus yesterday, weren’t you? During lunch?”
The girl flushed, making her face look rather splotchy, but seemed pleased. She nodded her head earnestly. “Yes! I had a question and he, um, pointed me in the… right direction?”
Sirius looked unimpressed.
Her crimson face darkened. “I’m one of the Tattooers.”
Oh fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck. Sirius mind stuttered as it raced through a million scenarios. I did, actually, Remus had said. Everything clicked into place. I see you wasted no time.
The girl rambled on, smiling. “I always thought mine was just a bunch of dark freckles but someone pointed out in Astronomy that it looked like a constellation. I didn’t want to embarrass myself so I checked with Remus since you two are so close.”
Shit. No. There was no way. No no no no.
Sirius couldn’t hide his panic. “Show me.”
The blonde—Merlin’s bollocks, Sirius didn’t even know her name—smiled shyly before pulling off her jumper. She turned her back to him, swiping her hair to the side to reveal the creamy white skin exposed from her tank top.
There was no denying the black mole-like Tattoos made a constellation, any Black could see it from a mile away.
Sirius, stunned, thought, son of a bitch.
———
“Remus! Merlin, fuck,” Sirius wheezed, bending to place his hands on his knees, sucking in deep breaths. “Where—have—uck—you—been?”
“Had fun?” Remus deflected, pulling his knees closer to his chest and tightening his arms around them.
As Sirius’ labored breaths evened out, he realized how he must have looked. His eyeliner surely was smudged and sweated off by now and his hair had fallen out of the bun, probably looking liked someone had run their fingers through it. Glancing down, he saw his robes were rumpled as well from the sprinting.
The rims of Remus’ eyes were red and slightly puffed as if he’d been crying. A smile flitted crossed Sirius’ face, which was definitely the wrong move. Maybe Marlene wasn’t totally bonkers. Remus’ crestfallen reaction was too emotional for a “friend”.
Right?
Remus’ cheeks hollowed, a sign that he was biting their insides, and he turned his face away. “I’d prefer not to listen to your romantic escapade right now. If you could leave, it would be much appreciated, thanks.”
Sirius stared at Remus’ profile, the shadow his big nose cast on his cheek.“No.”
“No?”
Sirius walked over and dropped onto the ground beside Remus, crisscrossing his legs and staring into the green eyes that watched him warily.
“Nope,” he popped the p.
Remus shifted his head away again, leaning it back to look at the open sky. It was late into the evening, or early in the morning, and the moon wasn’t in sight from this view. Sirius never cared much for staring at stars but sitting here, with Remus, he started to see the appeal. As he waited for his friend (and hopefully more) to respond, he wondered why the Astronomy tower. Bleak setting to wallow in. Kind of pretentious, too.
After a few minutes, Sirius broke the silence. “Why don’t you ever touch Wolfy?”
Remus side-eyed him, face carefully blank. “He doesn’t like to be touched.”
“Look,” Sirius said, holding his palm out to show the small wolf jumping underneath his thumb, the closest he could get to Remus. “He’s always trying to get near you and you don’t just not touch him, you coil away.”
Remus ducked his head and Sirius couldn’t tell because of the darkness but he thought he saw the beginning of a blush.
“It’s a private thing. It’s your soulmate who should touch him. Your wolf probably recognizes me for what I am, another wolf.” Remus’ voice was sour. “That’s the only reason for his interest.”
“James and Peter have touched him.You’re scared.”
Sirius didn’t actually know that but what was life without a little risk and lying?
Remus’ head shot up. “I am not scared!”
“That’s exactly the thing a scaredy-cat would say,” Sirius pointed out.
“I’m not a scaredy-cat!”
“Prove it.” Sirius thrust his hand out and Remus flinched. Wolfy’s ears dropped. “Why are you being a coward?”
Pushing and taunting was only one way to crack Remus’ every-thing-is-fine facade. Sirius did that better than anyone else.
“Why aren’t you with your Soulmate?” Remus fired back.
“Why do you care so much?”
“I don’t care!” Remus shot up to his feet, hands clutched in tight fists. “Leave me alone!”
“Nah, I don’t think so.”
Sirius thought he saw a flash of black on Remus’ neck but Remus quickly pulled his turtleneck up. Sirius swore Remus looked guilty.
“Please.” Remus closed his eyes. His voice wavered, “I just want to be alone.”
Wolfy was freaking out on Sirius’ hand. Sirius bit his lip, trying to choose his words wisely. Eventually, he just chuckled. Remus’ shoulders hunched in but he didn’t open his eyes.
Sirius slowly got to his feet. “You really are bloody awful at Astronomy, Moons.”
Sirius’ heart was pounding so loud it probably woke up the merpeople at the bottom of the black lake. He felt like he was going to throw up or pass out. Remus opened his eyes and took a step backward. Sirius stepped forward.
“What do you mean?”
Sirius rolled his eyes in fake bravado. He pointed to the sky. “Look. You see that really bright one? That’s Sirius.” He moved his finger around. “That’s the dog star constellation.”
Holding his breath, he stepped forward twice and reached out, gently tilting Remus’ head. Remus sucked in a barely audible gasp but he didn’t move away.
“That cluster,” Sirius whispered, pointing again, “is the Leo constellation. That bright one is Regulus.” He turned Remus’ head toward him, their faces inches apart. “Blondie’s Tattoo was Leo not Canis major.”
Wide amber eyes widened impossibly. “Oh.”
Sirius rolled his eyes fondly. “Yes, oh.”
“But that’s impossible.” Remus quickly retreated to denial. “Regulus is a Kisser.”
“Yeah, well, the stupid git has been hiding a set of freckles on his foot that looked suspiciously like Virgo.” Remus stared blankly and Sirius sighed. “Didn’t she tell you her name?”
“Porrima. The Goddess of prophecy.”
“Merlin, do you even listen in Astronomy? Porrima is a Virgo star.” Sirius kept his teasing carefully soft.
Remus searched Sirius’ face and Sirius worked to keep it open, showing he had nothing to hide. His cheeks hollowed. Sirius, blood rushing in his ears, slid his hand up from Remus’ chin to cup his cheek. His heart dropped to his feet as Remus stepped away.
“I don’t know what you want, Siri.” Remus shook his arms so his jumper fell over his hands.
Sirius swallowed. It’s now or never.
“I want you.” He took a step forward. Remus stepped back. Okay, Sirius was going to have to use his words. Great. That was Remus’ specialty. Sirius was all actions and physicality.
He decided to steal Marlene’s reasoning. “My Tattoo is a wolf, Remus.”
The tension in Remus’ body warned that he was in between fight or flight. Sirius frantically thought of what to say. Wolfy was curled up in an unhelpful ball.
For as long as the marauders knew Remus, he was exceptionally touchy about soulmates. When his furry problem came out in second year, he was finally able to explain that he was a Kisser. But only humans had soul mates and after some digging, Remus read that being bitten killed off the connection. He would never have a Zap, never find his soulmate.
“It’s a wolf,” Sirius repeated, pushing down his doubts. “I don’t think you’re a Kisser. I think—I think—No. I know we’re soulmates. Maybe your tattoo was going to come in at some point. That’s possible, right?” Sirius hated how desperate he sounded. He couldn’t help it, all these years he’d agonized over Remus being a Kisser.
Remus stepped backward again and Sirius made a pained noise.
“I’m.” Remus paused. He looked at his feet. “I’m not good for you.”
“Bullshit.”
“You deserve someone else.” Remus’ voice broke, “Someone whole.”
“Don’t I get to decide that?”
“I don’t know.” Remus looked up, biting his lip. “You’re a bit dense sometimes.”
Sirius’ face broke out in a wide grin—he was getting somewhere! Remus was joking with him!—and he scoffed. “I’m the dense one?”
Remus’ lips twitched. Sirius took a step forward, keeping his gaze to the side like he was coming up to a stray dog. Remus didn’t move. He stepped forward again. And again. And again.
He could feel the heat of Remus’ body. Feeling brave, he raised his eyes, meeting panicked amber ones.
“Moony,” he breathed out. He tentatively cupped Remus’ cheek, swiping his thumb across smooth skin. He marveled at the contrast between his pale skin and Remus’ tanned one, loving how their differences complemented each other.
“I don’t know why you’d want me,” Remus whispered, far more vulnerable than he’d ever let any of the marauders see.
“Do you,” Sirius swallowed. “Do you want me?”
“Don’t be daft.”
Sirius hardly held himself back from gathering Remus up into his arms and spinning him in circles. He wanted to scream to the world that Remus — Remus bloody John Lupin!—wanted him. He smiled so wide it hurt.
“Well, we’re in the same boat then. I don’t know why’d you ever want me.”
Remus gave him the look he’d crafted to perfection over the years. The one that said he’d never met anyone so stupid but it was fond and warm and Sirius felt like he could die right then and there.
“Can I kiss you?” he blurted. His face burned. Smooth, Black.
“Uh, I, er, um,” Remus stuttered. “I. Uh. I have something to show you first.”
Well, that wasn’t a no and he didn’t seem repulsed by the idea of kissing Sirius. Sirius counted that as a win and pushed his mortification down.
“Sure,” he said, trying to sound casual.
Remus moved to sit down. Sirius followed suit. His legs were going to give out any minute, anyway. Remus pulled out a photograph from his pocket and thrust it in Sirius’ face.
Sirius took it and brought it up to his face, squinting in the dark.
“Lumos.” Remus’ wand provided enough light for Sirius to see a curly haired little boy lift up his shirt to the camera, proudly showing off his pudgy belly.
Sirius was so caught up in how fucking adorable this dork was—he was so bloody in love with this boy—that he didn’t notice the whirr of black moving around toddler Remus’ bellybutton.
It looked like dancing smoke.
All air left Sirius’ lungs.
“That’s a dog.” It was unmistakable. A small black dog bounded like a deer in circles across Remus’ skin. “That’s a dog! Wait,” Sirius looked up. “You said you were a kisser.”
Remus’ face hardened. “My parents lied. When I was bitten, the dog, my Tattoo, vanished.” Sirius grabbed Remus’ with the one not holding the picture. “I had amnesia after that night. I didn’t remember anything.
“For a long time, I cried every night, saying I was a monster and I wasn’t human anymore. They didn’t tell me about my Tattoo because they thought it would confirm my fears. Which it would have and did now.” Remus laughed darkly. “Telling me I was Kisser didn’t help much but they thought they could convince me better than if they revealed I was a Tattooer.
“But I found that photo during Easter holiday. They couldn’t deny it any longer.”
Sirius remembered when they got back from break two weeks ago. Remus avoided everyone for a few days. The marauders knew something happened between him and his parents but Sirius never in a million years would have guessed this.
“And then,” Remus went on, “I was scared. You deserve so much better than me. And I don’t even have a Tattoo anymore to prove anything.” Sirius squeezed Remus’ hand, delighting in the small smile it caused. “Lily knocked some sense into me and I was going to tell you yesterday but then Porrima came to me.”
Sirius’ felt overwhelmed with all the new information. He remembered earlier, Remus pulling at his turtleneck.
“I saw something black on your neck.”
Remus’ wand was still lit up and Sirius could confirm Remus was blushing this time.
He ducked his head shyly, looking up at Sirius through his eyelashes. Sirius groaned internally, how was this fair?
“Lily and I haven’t been studying in the library.” Sirius raised an eyebrow. “She’s been helping me do this.”
Remus pulled up his sleeve and there, nestled between two scars, was a small black tattoo of a dog. It wagged its tail, tongue lolling out. Wolfy perked up in interest.
“I’m still trying to figure out if I can make him reflect your mood, like a real Tattoo, but I wanted a piece of you on me. Permanently.”
Sirius made a choked sound in his throat. “Can I kiss you now?”
In the next second, Sirius had a lapful of Remus and chapped lips brushing against his. It was sloppy and weird—neither of them had done this before— and they were both smiling so hard it was almost impossible to kiss but it was the most amazing thing in the world.
———
“I HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT.”
The students in the Great Hall fell silent and everyone turned to look at Sirius standing up on the Gryffindor table. Sirius could feel the burn of Minnie’s gaze. He heard an embarrassed groan from Remus.
“I, Sirius Black, am officially off the market! More importantly, Remus Lupin’s perfect arse,” Sirius sighed dreamily, “is off the market. That’s right, you gits! Remus Lupin is my soulmate!” Sirius bent down and pulled a beet-red Remus up on to the table, catching his stumbling body in his arms.
He kissed Remus and after a stunned second Remus kissed back with equal fervor.
The Hall erupted in cheers, some people demanding sickles from other students, hisses most likely coming from the Slytherins, and an especially loud what! coming from an incredulous James.
“Honestly, Potter, how daft are you?” Lily asked.
Remus snorted and pulled away. He smiled at Sirius shyly and Sirius had to refrain from kissing him again. He grinned at his hand cradling Remus’ face. Wolfy and Remus’ dog tattoo were almost touching from the skin to skin contact. The dog’s tongue was attempting to lick Wolfy.
Wolfy looked mighty pleased and smug.
Sirius pressed his forehead to Remus’.
“I love you,” he whispered, soft enough that only they could hear.
“I love you more,” Remus said back.
“Bloody hell,” James groaned. Obviously, they weren’t quiet enough. “You two are going to be unbearable, aren’t you?”
Sirius grinned and Remus’ smile was just as wicked. They were both thinking about how much fun they were going to have being overly sappy in front of their friends.
“Absolutely,” they said at the same time.